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Thera 2.31: Migasira
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(151):Migasira Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses Part IV =151. Migasira= Reborn in this Buddha-age in the family of a brahmin(priest) of Kosala, he was named Migasira1 after the constellation under which he obtained birth. And having acquired brahmin(priest) culture, he practised the skull-spell,2 so that, when he had muttered the spell and tapped with his nail on the skull, he would declare, 'This person is reborn in such a sphere,' even with respect to those who had been dead three years. Disliking domestic life, he became a Wanderer,3 and through his are won favour and respect. Coming to Sāvatthī and going before the Lord(Buddha), he declared his power, saying: 'I, Lord(Buddha) Gotama, can tell the destiny of dead persons.' 'How do you tell it?' He let a skull be brought, and, muttering his mantra(spell) and tapping with his nail, he asserted hell or some other sphere to be the place of rebirth. Then the Exalted One(Buddha) had the skull of a bhikkhu(monk) brought, who had attained complete outgoing (parinibbāna), and said: 'Tell now his destiny to whom this skull belonged!' Migasira muttered and tapped, but saw neither the beginning nor the end. Then the Lord(Buddha) said: 'Art not able, Wanderer?' He replied, 'I must first make sure,' and turning the skull round never so much - for how should he know the goings of an arahant?4 - stood ashamed, 139 perspiring, dumb. 'Art tired, Wanderer?' yes, I am tired; I cannot discern the destiny of this one. Do you make it known?' 'I know it, and more besides. He is gone to Nibbana.'5 Then said the Wanderer: 'Give me this hidden wisdom!' 'Then do you take monk’s orders.' So Migasira was initiated into monkhood, and was given exercises in calm. Well grounded in jhāna and abhiññā(higher knowledge), he practised insight, and not long after won arahantship(enlightenment). He then declared aññā''(supreme attainment)'' thus: ---- 181 Yato 24 ahaɱ pabbajito sammāsambuddhasāsane,|| Vimuccamāno uggacchiɱ kāmadhātuɱ upaccagaɱ.|| || 182 Brahmuno pekkhamānassa tato cittaɱ vimucci me,|| Akuppā me vimuttīti sabbasaɱyojanakkhayā' ti.|| || ---- 181 Since I went forth(for monkhood) and entered on the Rule Initiated into monkhood by the Enlightened One Supreme, Emancipated as I went, I rose Transcending all these things of sense-desire. 182 While He, that Very Brahmin(priest),6 looked on me, O then my heart was set at liberty!7 Yes, since all bonds are broke for forever, For me Emancipation(nirvana)'s fixed and sure! ---- 1 Deer's head = Capricorn. 2 Cf. Vangīsa's legend, CCLXIV. 3 See Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, pp. 141-143. 4 Cf. verse 92. 5 Nibbānaɱ gato so, the only Pali approximation to the frequent rendering, 'entered into Nirvana,' I have yet met with. 6 In the sense of chief, best (Commentary); a genitive absolute. 7 See Sisters, verses 17, 81, 116. ---- 2.4 Fourth Chapter =2.4-1 151 Commentary on the stanza of Migasiratthera= The stanza starting with yato ahaṃ pabbajito constitutes that of the venerable Thera Migasira. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, eas reborn in a brahmin family, at the time of the Blessed One Kassapa; on having attained the age of intelligence, he happened to have met the Master, one day, became piously pleased in mind and offered ‘eight blades of kusa grass’ (kusaṭṭhaka). On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and took his conceptiion in a brahmin family, in the kingdom of Kosala, when this Buddha arose; he gained the name Migasira owing to having been born with the lunar mansion of Migasira. On having come of age, he reached perfection in the arts and sciences of the brahmins and became (well) taught in the mantra of corpse’s head (chavasīsamanta). He knew thus: “This creature had been born in such and such a place,” after having given a knock with his mail the head of the dead which was of even three years ago after having uttered spells (parijappetvā). Not wanting to lead a household life, he renounced the world by becoming a wandering philosopher (paribbājaka) and kept on wandering about after having become a recipient of offerings (lābhī) respected and revered by the people of the world depending on that science (vijjā), when he reached Sāvatthi, where he went to the presence of the Master, to whom he said thus: “O Gotama! I know the birth-place of the dead,” revealing (pakāsanto) his own power. On being asked: “How, however, do you know?,” he spoke thus: “I had for the heads of corpses my spells uttered and knocking the same with my nails, I come to know their such individual birth place as purgatory and so on. There-upon the Blessed One had a head skull of a monk, who had entered parinibbāna, to him and said to him thus: “Now, tell me the whereabout (gati) of him, the owner of this head-skull?” He uttered his spell, knocked that skull with his nail but did not see either the end or a trace (koṭi). Thereupon, when asked by the Master thus: “O wandering philosopher! Are you not able (to find out)?,” he replied thus: “Now, I shall ascertain (upaparikkhissāmi),” but he was but unable to find out although he repeatedly recited and turned it round. How will he know the whereabout (gati) of an Arahant, free from cankers, indeed, by means of the profane (bāhiraka) charm (manta)? Thereupon perspiration proceeded (mucci) from his head and arm-pits. He became ashamed and stood silent. The Master asked thus: “O wandering philosopher! Are you tired?” He replied; “Yes, I am tired; I do not know the whereabout of this one; do you, however, know it?” The reply was “I know about this and I know also further beyond this.” Having said so, the Master concluded thus: “He had gone to nibbāna.” The wandering philosopher said: “Please give me this science.” Having said: “Well then, you should become a monk,” had him become monk first and had him engaged in the mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) of calm composure (samatha) and when he had become established in jhāna and higher knowledge, had the deed of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) shown to him. Doing the deed of developing spiritual insight, he attained arahtship but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “To the Blessed One Kassapa, who had ‘perfected’ His holy life (brāhmaṇassa), I, pious-minded and good-hearted offered ‘eight blades of kusa grass’. But in this very aeon (kappa) I made my offering of ‘eight blades of kusa grass’. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my having offered the eight blades of kusa grass’ (kusaṭṭhaka) My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he spoke two stanzas in order to reveal (byākaronto) his Arahantship (aññā). 181. “Since I became a monk in the dispensation of the well self- awakened Buddha, I rose being emancipated. I had overcome (upaccagaṃ), the element of sensual pleasure (kāmadhātuṃ). 182. “While the great Blessed One was looking on (pekkhamāna) my mind became emancipated consequent upon that. Steadfast is my emancipation (vimutti) owing to my having des- troyed all my worldly fetters (saṃyojana). There, Yato ahaṃ pabbajito, sammāsambuddhasāsane means: beginning from my having become monk, in the dispensation of the Blessed One, Buddha; starting from the time of having become monk. Vimuccamāno uggacchiṃ means: I arose with the purified hearing of the truth (dhamma) on being emancipated from the flank of self-depravity (saṃkilesa) first of all, now, by means of calm composure (samatha) and spiritual insight (vipassanā). Kāmadhātuṃ upaccagaṃ means: arising in this manner, I did overcome the element of sensual pleasure but definitely by means of the path of non-returning (anāgamimaggena). Brahmuno pekkhamānassa, tato cittaṃ vimucci me means: while the Blessed One, Buddha, the brahmā, because of being the best of the best, owing to having become foremost of the world together with the divine world was looking on with His appliction of great mercy, saying to Himself: “How indeed is this son of a good family faring (paṭipajjati) after having become a monk in my dispensation;” consequently, subsequent upon my attainment of the path of non-coming (anāgāmi magga), my mind became but definitely emancipated from all self-depravity (saṃkilesato) because of my attainment of foremost right path (aggamagga). Akuppā me vimutti, sabbasaṃyojanakkhayā means: my emancipation, in this manner is steadfast thus owing to the distruction and all round elimination of all worldly fetters (saṃyojana) owing to the condition of my mind having become emancipated; thus, he revealed his Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Migasira is complete. ----